Detroit Bus Company to 'crash' Tom's Tavern with customers after thieves crash truck through rear

DETROIT, MI -- Tom's Tavern is one of those diamond-in-the rough Detroit dive bars that once discovered cannot be forgotten. After a recent break-in, Andy Didorosi and his Detroit Bus Company, as well as other Tom's Tavern lovers, rallied and offered support to help the one-time speakeasy recover in time for its annual Babe Ruth party on Feb. 1.

The ramshackle bar on Seven Mile near Livernois in west Detroit, in operation since 1928, looks pieced together, and in many ways it is.

After all, it's had two vehicles crash through its walls in the last half-decade, the first after a car careened off Seven Mile, ran over a woman, who later died, and blasted through the front entrance; the most recent and more malicious incident occurred Saturday when a truck used its tailgate as a battering ram and opened a hole in the rear of the building where thieves entered and commenced looting.

The laid-back, white-bearded owner, Ron Gurdjian, issued this message through the Friends of Tom's Tavern Facebook group Monday:

Tom's Tavern, the most amazing little bar in the world, took another one in the chin Saturday night. We had two major break ins last year - one through the east wall, the other through the 1 1/2 inch cortron plexiglass window. This time the backdoor was repeatedly bludgeoned by the back of a pick up truck. The back wall of our sturdy building finally caved in. The pipes are broken in the kitchen and ladies room. The place was trashed. Gone are the usual suspects of beer and whiskey. We of course are determined to continue and will be open for the BEST BABE RUTH PARTY EVER on Saturday, February 1, 2014! If you want to help please contact Ron at the bar as soon as he reconnects the phone lines. 313-862-9768

Didorosi visited the bar and taped a letter on the door that remained Tuesday.

"This is Andy (from the Detroit Bus Company), we came out to be sure that you were OK after the break-in," the note read. "We've got a crew assembling if you need any help rebuilding."

Didorosi posted the letter on his Facebook Page, which garnered healthy support, accompanies by a statement that, "we'll build it twice as good as before."

After speaking with Gurdjian about the mobilized repair crew Didorosi had assembled, he posted this followup Tuesday:

Tom's Tavern Update: I just talked to Ron and he said that he's all good on fixing the damage. What he did say he wants is lots of buses of people! We're going to organize the biggest crash of Tom's Tavern via bus that has ever happened. Stay tuned for the dates!

Anyone wishing to help the bar recoup its losses incurred from the break-in and theft might consider doing so while imbibing on Feb. 1 during the annual Babe Ruth Birthday Bash.